South America

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship.

The Peace Corps' mission has three simple goals:

Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.

Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.

Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

Paraguay means where the water comes from or "River which originates a sea“

Uruguay is said to mean where the water goes or where the water ends, but actually means "river of the painted birds".

Paraguay has long been one of the region's poorest, least-developed, and most isolated countries. In 2010, the economy grew by 14.5%, the largest economic expansion in Latin America, and the third fastest in the world (after Qatar and Singapore).

By 2011, economic growth had slowed to 6.4%, still far higher than the global average.

As of 2009, Paraguay's population was estimated to be at around 6.5 million.

The capital and largest city is Asunción, whose metropolitan area is home to nearly a third of the population.

Paraguay has a subtropical to temperate climate.

Paraguay has only a wet and dry period.

Hottest months: October to March, temps can reach 104° - 115° F.

Coldest months: April to September, temps will sometimes drop below freezing.

Pre-Columbian Paraguay Pre-Columbian society consisted of multiple indigenous tribes

and 17 ethnolinguistic groups remain today.

First European Contact (1516) Asunción was founded on August 15, 1537

Jesuit missions and settlements flourished in Eastern Paraguay for about 150 years.

Independence from Spain on May 15, 1811 Dictators ruled the country with no outside contact or influence.

Paraguay lost the 5 year Triple Alliance War against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay in 1870 and lost over half the populationwith only 220,000 surviving, of whom only 28,000 were adultmales. They also lost a lot of land to Brazil and Argentina.

The Chaco War with Bolivia took place in the 1930s. Paraguay won.

20th Century Between 1904 and 1954, Paraguay had 31 presidents

In 1954 the regime of dictator Stroessner started and continued until 1989 with more isolation from the rest of the world.

In June 1992 a new constitution established a democratic system of government.

In 2008 Fernando Lugo was elected and ended 61 years of conservative rule of the Colorado Party, as he was from the Liberal Party.

On June 21, 2012, impeachment proceedings against President Lugo began. Lugo was given less than 24 hours to prepare for the proceedings and only 2 hours in which to mount a defense. Lugo was removed from office on June 22, 2012. Former Vice President Federico Franco assumed the duties of president.

The official languages are Spanish and Guaraní, with around 92% of the general population speaking Spanish and 98% speaking Guaraní.

Spanish, Guarani & Jopará Hello

Hola (Spanish) Mba’eichapa (Guarani)

How are you? ¿Cómo estas? (Spanish) Mba’etekopio or Mba’elaporte (Guarani)

Thank you – Thank you very much Gracias – Muchas gracias(Spanish) Aguyje - Aguijeiterei (Guarani)

Goodbye – See you soon Adios – Nov vemos (Spanish) Jajotopata – Jahechata (Guarani)

English Spanish Guarani

To walk Carminar guata

I walk Yo camino Che aguata

You walk Tu caminas Nde reguata

S/he walks Él/ella/Ud. Camina Ha’e oguata

We walk Nosotros caminamos Nande peguata (inclusive)Ore roguata (exclusive)

You all walk Vosotros camináis Peẽ peguata

They walk Ellos/ellas/Uds. Caminan Ha’ekueraoguata

Y – Yvy – Yvyramata

Kuña – Kuñatai

Vacapipopo